Live Oak family a friend of 'Duncan' the pelican

CAPITOLA &GT;&GT; After coming to the aid of a brown pelican that was entangled in fishing line off Capitola earlier this week, a local family was amazed at what happened next.

The bird seemingly sought additional help from them.

The drama unfolded Tuesday in a kelp bed about 1,000 yards off the end of the Capitola Wharf. The Soza family, which was out on its 32-foot fishing trawler, spotted the pelican standing atop the kelp. Unlike other birds, the pelican made no attempt to fly away when the boat approached.

"My daughter Jessica said 'I think he needs help,'" said Will Soza, of Live Oak who was piloting the boat. The passengers, who included his wife, Angela Soza, their son, Anthony, and a family friend, gently pulled the pelican into their boat. Working slowly and carefully, they were able to free the bird from the monofilament line that prevented it from moving freely, and returned it to the water.

"He tried to fly away, but he didn't have the energy," said Will Soza. "Then he paddled a good ways toward us and tried to jump in the back of the Zodiac" (that was towed by Sozas' boat.) It was really unique to see the bird trying to catch us."

Once again, the family lifted the pelican, which Jessica Soza named "Duncan," into the boat, and headed to the Santa Cruz Harbor. "Duncan" appeared to be relaxed during the ride.

"When we got him back into the harbor he was actually sleeping," Will Soza said.

The Soza family's experience may be unusual, but Duncan's is not, said Frank Schmit of Native Animal Rescue of Santa Cruz County, which transported the pelican to the nonprofit's facility on 17th Avenue to be examined and treated.

There has been an influx of brown pelicans found entangled in fishing lines and wounded by hooks discovered in and around the Santa Cruz County shoreline this summer. So far, 60 birds have been brought to Native Animal Rescue to be disentangled and treated for their injuries. Infected wounds are common, especially when a bird has been hooked, while prolonged entanglements can lead to hypothermia, dehydration and starvation, Schmit said. Last year, the group treated about 10 pelicans, mostly juveniles that were starving.

"There's been a sudden explosion of pelicans tangled in hooks and lines this year," Schmit said. "We started getting calls in May, and the incidents have been picking up in frequency."

Mary Dalton, one of the volunteers at Native Animal Rescue, said she's picked up and transported at least four pelicans during the past 10 days in response to calls from members of the public. After arriving at the rescue center the birds are freed from fishing gear, treated for their injuries, and fed and hydrated. Duncan is one of the lucky ones, and began recovering quickly. Others have not been so fortunate.

"There have been a couple that we have had to euthanize," due to the severity of their injuries, said Eve Egan, the facility director.

The group does not have enough room to care for all the pelicans, so it relies on help from the International Bird Rescue organization in Fairfield, which has much larger facilities and a bigger staff.

"We stabilize them and send the up to the IBR," Egan said. "We sent up nine just the other day."

The problem is not unique to the Monterey Bay, said Andrew Harmon, the communications manager for the International Bird Rescue.

"Fishing entanglements are certainly higher this year, and it's a statewide problem," Harmon said. While pelicans make up the majority of the injured birds, cormorants, terns, gulls and grebes are also affected.

One reason so many pelicans are affects is because they are opportunistic feeders and often try to snatch fish off a fisherman's line and end up getting snared.

"A lot of birds brought in to us are alerted to us by fishermen," Harmon said.

Other birds become entangled in lost fishing gear found floating in the ocean.

"It's really a difficult problem, that's most infuriating because it's largely preventable," Harmon said. "That waste is in the environment and it's affecting these animals."

Why the problem has increased locally is a mystery that animal lovers are hoping to solve.

"We just want to find what the source is," said Dalton. "Not to go pointing fingers, but just to see if we can prevent the problem."